


You can be free

by PBJ614



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Modern Royalty, Royalty, sulay - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2020-09-24 13:27:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 20,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20359258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PBJ614/pseuds/PBJ614
Summary: He wanted to be able to keep talking to Junmyeon, to be able to hear him laugh carefree more often, to be able to hold his hand without hesitation as he had been wishing for all morning. That is why instead of dissipating his head and returning to China again he decided to stay for some time.He had to contact Mrs. Kim in order to offer her a proposal he was sure they could not ignore after all he had made a decision.He wanted to be able to call Junmyeon more than a friend or a partner, he wanted to be able to call him Husband in the future.





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language so please if you see any mistakes let me know.
> 
> This would probably have a lot of cliches but it's Sulay, and we all need more sulay out there  
You can find my stories on AFF with the same username and also on twitter @PBJ2764

He had traveled from China when his grandparents mentioned the proposal. It was not an obligation and much less a commitment but rather a suggestion.

Zhang Yixing future heir and current prince was on a plane to Korea because of the suggestion that his family had made, he was of age and should begin to form a family of his own. He had experience with dating, one or another girl or boy who had caught his attention but had not really been anything special, all his companions had been boring. But his grandmother had told him that maybe a change of environment is what he needed, so he was told how the prince of Korea was currently also in search of a partner.

According to the information he had received both were of the same age, Prince Kim Junmyeon had graduated with honors in his university studies, spoke 5 languages and how he seemed to be a perfect candidate. To be honest, Yixing had no interest in being an applicant to marry another prince but he was actually bored.

Despite being a prince, he had a great deal of responsibility but at the same time his family had always given him the freedom he wanted, of course, as long as he stayed away from problems. It had been his decision to take a career that would help him in his future as a ruler but at the same time he had pursued his own interests in the art of music, whether in learning to play instruments and dancing. His family supported him as they had always attended each of his recitals and presentations but at the same time they had helped him when he needed guidance on political matters.

That is why his personality used to be a little carefree but it did not mean that he did not take things seriously. After all the fact that he was currently making that trip, it had been his decision - well at least half of it.

His parents had contacted the Korean royal family and accepted the Zhang's proposal, it was not a marriage proposal itself. But Yixing would have the opportunity to decide if he wanted to “court” the other. According to the plans, the Kim’s had offered to meet him at the airport and would accompany Yixing to his hotel that turned out to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the country.

The first impression of them is that they seemed somewhat tense and serious, he assumed that it was because they tried to maintain diplomacy above all but did not make him feel very comfortable. The king and queen accompanied him for a few minutes explaining how for them the whole arranged marriage thing used to be a tradition that came from generation to generation. He wondered why the prince had not accompanied them but the kings explained to him how he was attending an event with the president and the senate representing the royal family, after all it was his job to start doing activities like that and they agreed that he could meet him at breakfast the next day. What Yixing did not know is that Prince Kim was unaware of the plans his parents were making.

The next morning, Yixing arrived a few minutes before to the place he had agreed with the Kims. Initially he thought that the four of them would have breakfast together to know each other more but he was surprised to find the prince alone. He knew what Junmyeon looked like since last night his parents gave him a picture and he had to admit that the prince was attractive. He looked young, with white complexion and perfect skincare. He was thin and of average height maybe a few inches shorter than him but it didn't really matter. Yixing recognized him since he saw him enter the restaurant.

The place the Kim had booked was definitely luxurious and expensive. It was of a delicate and elegant appearance, with chandeliers on the ceiling and the young man assumed that the night should be a spectacular sight.

Junmyeon was dressed in a long-sleeved pink T-shirt and a few folds in front, when he sat at his table he had rolled his sleeves letting him see his arms certainly toned. Yixing could see the classic style of the young man with his accessories and his upright posture but there was something that caught his attention. First the boy was attractive, the photos definitely did not do him justice, if his appearance had seemed pleasant in photos, in reality it was something much better and he was not very proud to admit it but… he wouldn’t mind to have that close view every day. And secondly, from the moment the waiter accompanied him to his table and when he returned to serve him a cup of coffee the prince had smiled twice, probably due to the place where he was but he could tell that both smiles had been fake and superficial. He knew them very well, after all he had also used them before, those empty smiles that do not reach his eyes and are used abroad and at diplomatic events.

He still did not notice his presence, as he was a few tables away from the prince, it seemed a little fun to watch the other for a little while. Junmyeon had also arrived before the set time so technically Yixing still had a little more time. He saw how the young man seemed to answer a call and only by the expression on his face did he guess it was not a pleasant call. He watched as the boy just listened to whoever was on the other side of the phone and occasionally nodded his head but his expression reflected tiredness and to some extent, sadness. 

****

All he wanted was to run out of there. Run back to his house and be able to lock himself in his room and be able to finish the book he had half left. But no, he had to endure sitting down to wait for a "date" he didn't even want. He checked his watch again seeing that there were still 10 minutes before the scheduled time but even if his companion had not arrived and had no desire to stay.

When he arrived home exhausted the night before, his mother had been waiting for him in his room which was never good news. His fears were corroborated when his mother notified that she had released his agenda for the next day and that he had to attend a very important breakfast with who his future husband would be. He knew that his parents had been looking for candidates for him for a few months but no one seemed to meet the standard they wanted. _ They _always being the most important thing because Junmyeon knew that no matter how much he tried to express his thoughts it meant nothing to his parents, it had never done it.

He had expressed his displeasure with the idea of marrying so soon especially with someone who did not know, with someone who was the decision of their parents but all he had received about it was a slap in the face, the speech from his father about how once again, it was a disappointment to the family and the threat of limiting his freedom. Which was ironic because he did not have any freedom, all he did was always orders and decisions of his parents so this last was unnecessary and empty.

His mother's call was to remind him that it was his responsibility to please Prince Zhang, that he had to raise the name of the family and that this was a tradition. The marriage of his parents had been arranged as well as his grandparents and great-grandparents. It was part of the tradition and royal line. He felt tired of hearing the same story over and over again, so he hung up the call while his mother was still talking, it would probably bring him problems later as well as another slap on his cheek but he didn't feel in the mood and it was just the beginning of the day .

He sighed heavily and let his gaze hover around the rest of the room. The restaurant was not very crowded but not empty either. They were locked in the private area so the people around him were great businessmen or even artists who could afford the expensive restaurant dishes. 

He had become accustomed to the feeling of being watched, after all he was also a public figure but still made him feel uncomfortable. He stopped when he made eye contact with a boy who was a few tables away. The young man was dressed casually, with a relaxed posture on his seat, his hair perfectly stylized and a captivating look.

He held his gaze for a few seconds but made him feel nervous, he didn't have time for that kind of thing, not when he was supposed to be meeting his "future husband" but he couldn't help the blush on his face. The way the young man had been watching him ... _ How long had he been there? Why was I watching him? _

Before he could avoid it, he found himself looking for the boy's eyes again and found him smiling over his cup of coffee but this time a malicious smile appeared on his face, showing his pronounced dimple. Junmyeon was beginning to feel upset, he looked around thinking that maybe it was not directed at him but there was no one else in his area. He began to hear sirens in his head about how all this was a bad idea and his desire to go home increased, especially when the boy got up from his table and advanced to take the seat opposite his.

He looked around again this time with a little paranoia thinking that maybe this was a joke. He saw again the boy in front of him who still kept that smile on his face which was beginning to seem irritating.

“Sorry but that seat is taken.”

“Of course, I'm keeping you company.”

“I'm really waiting for someone else, so if you don't mind ... “ 

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure it won't bother him." Junmyeon didn't have the time to reply when the boy in front of him called the waiter to order his breakfast taking the dare to order for both of them. If he was upset before, now he felt anger. But he remembered where he was, he couldn't make a scene. He had to control his emotions and try to put on the mask he used all the time, it would be easier if he had rested the night before because after arguing with his mother for 2 hours he had not been able to fall asleep thinking about what kind of person he would find himself the next day so he was now tired, irritated and disappointed because for once more his mother had shown again that he has control over his life.

It would also be easier if he only knew what his original companion looked like, what if he appeared out of nowhere and Junmyeon was with someone else? It could bother him and make a bad impression ... Now that he thought about it, maybe that didn't sound like a bad idea. That way the misfortune could be saved.

“You should not do that.” 

"Do what?" Junmyeon wasn't sure what he was supposed to have done.

“Pretend. Your expression of disgust a few seconds ago was more authentic.” There was that irritating smile again and Junmyeon was clenching his hands under the table while trying to keep his face calm.

“I wasn't kidding when I said I’m waiting for someone.”

“Well, it seems to me that you are alone in this ostentatious place and I am really starving to death.”

Junmyeon did not know how it happened but at one point he was looking around anxiously waiting for someone to interrupt them and in the next he was talking a little more lively with the stranger in front of him, he lost track of time when he began to narrate the places he had visited. Strangely, both shared similar tastes in music and books. He took the liberty of letting go a little, of letting the real Junmyeon out, not the diplomatic and perfect facade that he had to keep with the rest but instead found himself speaking with a freedom that if his mother listened to him he would consider him disrespectful and inappropriate to be the first encounter with a person. Put aside his responsibilities even for a few moments, not having to think about his future commitment .

The alarms in his head had subsided when the stranger shared some of his experiences and his smile no longer carried the arrogance of a few minutes ago but rather was a kind one. Perhaps another factor that Junmyeon appreciated was the fact that the young man was careful to listen to him, even if the beginning was a little rough the other did not give up even considered that perhaps the boy had begun to flirt with him. He did not realize that his supposed "date" seemed not to have arrived, that his dishes had been finished a long time ago and even the restaurant had remained empty as the clients had retired, and that he had spent the whole morning smiling unconsciously at the young man's comments .

That little bubble broke at the moment when one of the waiters approached him returning the credit card that had paid for his food, Junmyeon had been so distracted that he had not noticed the moment the other had paid. He used that moment to look around and realize that they were alone and felt a certain disappointment with the thought of having to leave.

“Here you go, Mr. Zhang” Those words felt like a bucket of cold water to Junmyeon.

“Zhang?”

“Oh yes, sorry for not introducing me formally. My name is Zhang Yixing, I hope we get along well.”

Junmyeon saw the outstretched hand in front of him waiting to shake it but he couldn’t move. Without realizing it, he had ended up sharing his time with who his husband could be. He had had a great time that morning because he had had the luxury of being authentic but now he began to believe that the young man in front of him had manipulated him like the rest.

“Why didn't you say that from the beginning?”

“I wanted to know the real. If I introduced myself from the beginning I would not have been able to see who you really are.” 

'So you decided that the best option was to test myself.” Junmyeon felt scandalized. He had treated him with such disdain from the beginning. Probably his parents would hear about it and ... Let's say things didn't end well when he faced the couple "disappointed" of him. He also felt upset. Annoyed that once again someone else had made the decisions for him, once again he had played under someone else's moves. He got up quickly from the table and without saying any more words went to the exit.

To say that Yixing was confused did not do him justice, he did not understand what had just happened. He did not expect that reaction from the other but instead of bothering him it only caused him concern. He knew that sometimes he could be a bit reckless and daring but this time he felt like he had made a mistake. He saw the other leave through the door but instead of letting go like the other occasions in the past, this time was different .

He wanted to be able to keep talking to Junmyeon, to be able to hear him laugh carefree more often, to be able to hold his hand without hesitation as he had been wishing for all morning. That is why instead of dissipating his head and returning to China he wanted to stay for a while longer. He had to contact Mrs. Kim in order to offer her a proposal he was sure they could not ignore, after all he had made a decision.

He wanted to be able to call Junmyeon more than a friend or a partner, he wanted to be able to call him Husband in the future.

* * *

It had been two days since the meeting with Zhang Yixing and as much as Junmyeon tried to forget the pleasant moment and the nice simple conversation he had with the boy, it was something very difficult for him. He wanted to be able to feel upset or disappointed and hate him but he couldn't, not quite. When he had arrived at his house that day he met his mother who was upset about having cut the call and even more so when Junmyeon did not want to give him many details of the encounter with the other. It would be no use putting him wrong with his parents, he had time to think about it and perhaps the other prince's actions had not been so bad. After all, he was right, if he had known his identity from the beginning, Junmyeon would not have relaxed so much in his conversation.

He has to stop thinking about the soft tone of his voice, his sincere and curious eyes, his irritating mischievous smile that although he did not want to admit it pleased him, in his distinguished and prominent dimple when he smiled. He had to forget each of those details because it was more than obvious that they would never see each other again. That is why he had tried to drown in work but it had not been enough.

"We have arrived, Mr. Kim." He hoped that when he arrived home late again he would have the luck of not meeting his parents, but once again luck was not on his side. When he got out of the car there was someone waiting for him.

His mother hurried to find him at the foot of the door, was about to ask what was she doing outside but did not have the time because she began to shake his suit as if it was dirty, which he knew was not possible.

“Why are you coming so late? We have been waiting for hours.”

“What do you mean mother? I was in the office, as always.”

“Where is your tie?” The young man looked a little skeptical at his mother while he took the garment out of his pocket. He had had 3 meetings, 2 presentations and a lot of paperwork to do that adding the sleepless hours of the previous nights so he felt tired and had spent the whole day feeling suffocated taking off his tie on the way home and unbuttoning the first button of his shirt. The queen hurriedly took it trying to "fix" his appearance as quickly as possible.

“What's going on?” 

“It happens that we have visits and you must be presentable.” Junmyeon wanted to be able to say that he did not understand anything that was happening but in fact he knew that he could not challenge his mother and that if there was something that she valued more than her high rank was order and discipline Surely this was another occasion when he wanted him to meet an impeccable appearance for a dinner with his father, which seemed unnecessary.

“Change that expression, Junmyeon . You must behave.”

“Have I ever failed you?”

"And for the love of God, change that tone." The young man knew how to differentiate the warnings before the disaster, so he just sealed his lips. It was not that he had a choice, but his mother had adjusted his tie really tight so it bothered him and when he tried to loosen it a little he received a slap on the hand, while clasping his sack again.

"Hurry up, it's too late." Once she turned around the doors of the house opened to receive them and Junmyeon took advantage of those seconds to loosen his tie. They were led to the dining room by one of the servants and despite the fact that the young prince had prepared for any possible scenario, hoping to have a tedious talk with his parents and perhaps some other diplomat, but nothing prepared him to find his father engaging in a conversation with the same one who had taken his sleep for two nights, with the same person he had tried to forget, Zhang Yixing .

He did not know who had been waiting for dinner. He felt a little out of place while having dinner at the big table with his parents, after all since he was very young he had always found alone in the big house and were rare occasions when the three used to share the same schedule. They used to call it “Quality time” but whenever they had visitors their parents acted as the happy and united family they had never been. He knew that the other prince was talking with his father about the different proposals and recommendations that he would have to communicate to his ministers to be able to discuss some of his actions in his foreign policy and how they could benefit his bilateral relations but Junmyeon was not putting much attention. 

From the moment he entered the room and had crossed his eyes with the other young man he knew that he was up to something, he had seen a certain glow in his eyes. Reason why he kept his eyes on his plate although he had not really touched his food. He had lost his appetite but he wanted to use whatever excuse that allowed him to ignore the person in front of him. Although on the other hand, he could feel his mother's gaze on him probably annoyed by his posture.

“...We'd be more than happy, don’t we, Junmyeon ?”

He looked up quickly when he realized that all the attention was on him but had been so distracted that he hadn’t heard anything.

“Sorry?”

“We were talking about how our dear guest, Prince Zhang will stay with us for a few days.”

“What? Why?” He did not notice his tone sounded a little hostile until he saw his father's face showed disgust and her mother's tone turned colder. The rest might not notice the difference but for Junmyeon it was very easy to perceive.

“The prince told us about his pleasant meeting with you and how he is willing to take your hand in marriage. And what better way to get to know each other if you share more time together.”

“He did what?”

“I talked to Mrs. Kim yesterday and they offered me the proposal to spend a few nights here, but I don't want to bother. I can go back to the hotel and-”

“Don’t. Don’t worry, it would be an honor for us to receive you in our home. I am sure that Junmyeon has no problem either.” The young man dreamed for the day he could oppose what his parents said, to be able to make his own decisions but today was not that day. A look from his mother was enough to confirm that it was not really an option. 

“Sure. I mean, we would be honoured.” He wished Yixing could be able to distinguish his tone of defeat. Without saying more for the rest of the night he just listened to how they agreed on the arrangements for his room, which would be located a few doors away from Junmyeon's. And how his parents assured him that they could spend more time together because his son's agenda would be free and that he should not worry about any discomfort he should tried to feel at home. Even when they finished dinner and the servants would help the Chinese prince to settle in his room Junmyeon still refused to establish eye contact with him. _ How am I supposed to forget about him if we shared the same roof? _

* * *

He was feeling very hot and could assure he was on the verge of dehydration in addition to the hunger that attacked him, he should have finished his breakfast quietly instead of running away from the dining room when he heard he would have company that morning. And he probably should also leave the closet of his room where he had been hiding for hours, not a very useful place if someone asked.

He had been sharing a roof with the Chinese prince for a week and could swear that the other was stalking him. That might be his purpose as they were living together to get to know each other better but it didn't mean they had to spend _ all _their time together .

After the disastrous dinner a few nights ago the boy had started trying to talk to Junmyeon but for some reason he didn't want to. He didn't want to be alone with him again. He might seem silly but he didn't trust himself to be alone with him again, he didn't want to act like that again. He was a little scared of the feeling of freedom and peace he felt when he spent time with him and how he seemed to speak without any filter.

Junmyeon was not a very social person, he didn’t have the opportunity to be close to anyone before because of his position and his parents and some of the people who had come too close to him didn’t have the best intentions. That’s why he had become very insecure and closed with the rest. He knew that his hiding place was useless when he still had a lot of paperwork to do and felt that he could pass out at any time, so he decided that it was time to face his fears if he had survived one morning with him before so… it can’t be that bad.

He armed himself with courage and decided that from now on he was not going to pay much attention to him, perhaps Yixing had begun to lose interest in him by being constantly ignored. By now he should know his bad luck when he ran into the prince in one of the corridors. He wanted to turn around and return to his room but he didn’t. Not because he didn't want to, but rather because the other one seemed to have guessed his thoughts and quickly took him by his hand.

“We can talk? Please?” Junmyeon lowered his eyes to his intertwined hands for a few seconds and sighed, he knew that they should talk is just what he had been avoiding because he knew the things he had to say.

“Are you okay? You look a bit pale.” To be honest, Yixing was tired to be the one trying so hard. But he could not let him off, he wanted to confront him and discuss but when he saw that the other also looked tired and with obvious dark circles under his eyes he turns around without letting go of his hand and guided him to the kitchen, probably the same fatigue made Junmyeon comply without protest. 

Junmyeon expected any kind of scenario except to find himself sitting on the kitchen island watching Yixing venturing from side to side looking for ingredients and then chopping some vegetables.

“Have you ever tried Chinese chicken meatballs?”

“Chicken meatballs? No, not really.”

“Well, get ready for the best tasting Kim Junmyeon.”

“I didn’t know you could cook.”

“There are many things you don't know about me.” the young man had finished cooking and prepared to sit down but instead of serving him on the table he stood in front of him and tried to feed him himself. “But it's something we can change, if you give me the chance.”

Junmyeon wanted to be able to refuse but those meatballs smelled so good and in reality the flavor was much better. It's probably because he was not in the mood or because deep down he knew it was true, so he just kept accepting the food from the other. And he realized that he was right, being with Yixing was easy. He constantly wondered what was the reason for the comfort he felt with him, the topics of conversation always arose one after the other that both ended up laughing even in the kitchen.

Once his laughter stopped Yixing who at some point had taken the place next to Junmyeon on the isle resumed his place in front of the other being at eye level, stared at him before taking his hand.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you last time but you more than anyone else should understand why I did it.” 

“I know, that's why the one who should apologize is me.” Junmyeon turned his gaze to his hands again, it was the second time on the day that the other took it with familiarity and without hesitation and what seemed funny is that it didn’t actually bothered him.

“I insist, it was my fault. My mother says that sometimes I am very impulsive and to be honest when I saw you enter the restaurant I didn’t care about anything but approaching and being able to talk to you.”

“I shouldn't have run away these days and much less hide.” 

Were you really hiding? I thought you were busy.” The grin on the prince's face was enough answer for Yixing to smile, revealing his dimples again.

“Well, uhmm let’s say it's a tie ok? I was wrong and so were you. Why don't we start over ?”

“... Actually, that doesn't sound so bad.”

"Perfect!" Yixing knew from the smile on Junmyeon's face that the tone of his voice betrayed the emotion he felt.

“We could have a date, many of them. You can show me your job, I heard your parents talking about your projects. We could also go out at night, I heard that the capital never sleeps and you know... I've been here for a week and I don't know much about Korea, so you must be my guide.” when he saw that Junmyeon’s face was gradually losing his smile he quickly changed his tone. “Or if you prefer we could stay here. I wouldn’t like to brag but I am a good cooker you should try my Zongzis or I can even prepare some Hot pot, those are recipes that my grandmother taught me so I can assure you that they have the best seasoning…. ¿ Junmyeon ?”

This is the moment when Junmyeon should say that he thinks it is great what the other said, but would it be wrong to wish that they did it slowly? He didn't want to rush anything and it was the first time someone was taking so much effort with him.

“Hey, where did you go?”

“I'm sorry, I was just thinking.”

“So? What do you think? We can do whatever you want. I am at your disposal we will do what you want.”

“What?”

“It’s your choice. What do you want, Junmyeon?”

“. . .I don’t know.”

“How you do not know? Just tell me if you prefer to go out or we could have romantic dinners on the gardens, I'm fine with that as long as you agree. And before your brain starts to think about conspiratory things, I won't do anything you don't want, nothing that makes you feel uncomfortable.”

“You holding my hand makes me feel uncomfortable” it seemed that Yixing had forgotten that he still held his hand with his so he apologized hastily releasing him until the little laugh stopped him.

“I was joking.”

“Are you serious? Wooow you can really fool anyone with that face of yours, Kim Junmyeon.”

“Years of practice.”

“Ok, let's try to ignore this and come back to my question. How come you don't know what you want?”

“I just don’t know. It's not something I heard often.” 

“Don't joke Junmyeon, as if nobody has ever asked you what kind of clothes you want to buy, or what kind of food you want.” He expected him to smile with him but Junmyeon just watched him as if he talked about something strange and unknown. And then he understood. There was a time when his father tried to do that with him after one of the state representatives had told him that he was giving his son a lot of freedom but his father had felt as uncomfortable as himself by telling him what to do and after two weeks things returned to normal. What for Yixing could have been only two weeks for Junmyeon seemed to have been his whole life, that would also explain his behavior in front of his parents. Spend all his life with them breathing on his neck and telling him what to do all the time. 

“I'm so sorry.”

“We said it was a tie, you should not apologize anymore.” 

“What I said before is still true. I'll do what you want.”

Junmyeon wanted to be able to believe and trust him but he couldn't help feeling insecure. Before he could answer the young man his mother called him from the kitchen entrance interrupting them about how his father needed the report of his last meeting. He said goodbye to Yixing with a light brush of his hands as he prepared to obey her, listening as his mother whispered how indecent his behavior had been and questioning him _ , what the hell were you doing on the kitchen island? Those are not manners worthy of a prince. _

On the other hand, Yixing could hear the queen clearly and felt sad. To tell the truth if he thought in retrospect, Junmyeon had probably had a difficult childhood but instead of letting that affect him he would try to turn it his motivation. He was going to make sure to put a smile on his face more often, to be able to pamper him all the time or even just listen to him and be able to keep him company if the other allowed.


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yinxing only wished to had the perfect date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> English is not my first language so please feel free to let me know for any mistakes

Yixing was looking around certainly nervous, he must have guessed that this was a bad idea. It seemed that Queen Kim had heard them in the kitchen the last time, which is why she stopped him in the corridor the next day thanking him for his intentions with his son and incidentally "apologizing" for Junmyeon's behavior - although Yixing didn't have the slightest idea why she apologized. The Queen had suggested a list of places that according to her were the prince's favorites but he must have thought twice before taking the young man to one of those places. He had planned the perfect evening, or at least that's what he had thought… it seemed that every attempt was failing masterfully.

He had surprised Junmyeon in his office, it had not been very subtle of him to arrive in one of the cars that the Queen had left at his disposal since he ended up calling too much attention. He thought about buying flowers but for some reason he discarded that thought from his head, it just didn't seem like the right time and he also didn't know what the other's favorite flowers were. Details like those he considered were personal and not something that could be taken lightly, it might sound somewhat ridiculous but at least for Yixing the details were the ones that mattered, he felt a little bad for not having chosen the place of his appointment himself but he couldn't contain his enthusiasm to spend more time with the other prince. 

His surprise factor collapsed when all the staff kept watching each of his movements to the point that caught his attention in a not very pleasant way. The people around him, realizing who was walking through the halls, began to murmur and took out their phones to take pictures.

Junmyeon was in a very important meeting but was interrupted due to the scandal outside the room, the Chinese prince tried to apologize with a smile but he knew that the other was bothered. He didn't want to give more details and gossip to his viewers so he asked to be escorted to his office to avoid further interruptions. 

"Take him to my office, I'll be there in a few seconds."

Yixing tried to distract himself by glancing around the room. It was very spacious and had a bookcase, a desk and a couple of sofas, one of them seemed to be reclining so that it could become a kind of "bed" and wondered how many times the prince had ended up sleeping in his office without going home for the amount of work he did. The bookshelf shelves, like the study library inside the palace, had an immense amount of books, some of which were familiar to him. Junmyeon seemed to be a lover of literature with a varied taste because Yixing could distinguish from books of classical poetry to fantasy materials. 

He didn't want to be intrusive but even if the rest of the room was clean and tidy, Junmyeon's work table looked like a mess. A half-empty glass of coffee, documents of what appeared to be statistical analyzes and agreements, probably belonging to the projects under his responsibility. On one side he saw a board full of notes and post-its everywhere but there was something specific that caught his attention but before he could correct it he heard as the door of the office opened and Junmyeon entered with a frown on his face. Yixing probably shouldn't think about it but the other one looked adorable when he got upset, he could feel like his smile growing on his face when he saw the other's annoying expression because it was, to some extent adorable, like the one of a child about to do a tantrum but thinking about the attitude he had observed from his parents made him think that Junmyeon had never done such an action as a child.

"I don't want to sound rude but, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to come to visit you."

"You chose a bad day."

"I'm sorry for causing such a stir but, I came with the intention of inviting you to a date." He tried his best smile by highlighting his dimples. He could tell how Junmyeon didn't expect those words to come out of his mouth when he saw the surprise on his face and how he tried to hide the blush on his cheeks. 

"Oh! ... Well, I ... I'm sorry. This is really a bad time." Junmyeon took hurried steps to his desk and continued to stir his own mess looking for a specific document. 

"I can wait."

"I don't really think you want to. I'm in a meeting with my main investors and I'm not sure if I will finish early."

Yixing watched as Junmyeon began to despair, so much that some of the documents fell to the ground only to annoy him more so he hastened to help him sort out a little. It was until they collected all the documents that Junmyeon sighed tiredly and the other noticed the obvious dark circles under his eyes.

"You should rest a little.Take a few minutes."

"How can you tell me that? We were in the middle of a very important meeting, I asked for a 15 minute break for you."

"I would like to feel flattered but I know it would bother you more."

"Don't think so highly of yourself. Maybe it was a good time for a recess, things are not working out as planned. I just don't understand what's wrong." he left some documents on the desk and approached the board removing some of the notes.

"Do you have problems with the budget?" Junmyeon turned quickly, watching the young Chinese examine some of the documents on his desk.

"I was observing some of your notes and I think the calculations are wrong, and seeing these forms I realize that there is indeed a mistake in them." 

"A mistake you say? I don't understand." Junmyeon snatched the documents from his hands and quickly scanned them. "The calculations are fine, each of the forms are in order with the corresponding acts."

"That's where the problem is. The acts must be exact, remember that every penny is important and with a project like this you should take many other things into consideration."

Junmyeon didn't want to admit it but maybe the young Chinese was right. He rushed to round some numbers and ran out of the office. Yixing internally regretted having helped so quickly, knowing that the korean would leave him alone he would have extended his explanation so that they could spend more time together, although if Junmyeon accepted his proposal things could change. 

The prince had not lied when he had mentioned his uncertainty about the duration of the meeting because when he least expected it the sun was setting and Yixing had appropriated the sofa in the office, he was a bit sleepy but returned in his senses when he heard the door close. He sat up just in time to see the astonishment on Junmyeon's face .

"I thought you were gone."

"And miss this sight again? No, thank you." That young Chinese smiled, even more when he watched as the other looked away to hide his slightly flushed cheeks. The young man did not lie, to be honest Junmyeon looked very attractive in his black suit and sapphire blue tie, colors that highlighted his clear skin tone. He had become accustomed to seeing him with a more casual outfit inside the palace but his work clothes were definitely made to measure and highlighted his best attributes such as the width of his shoulders, his thin waist and those pants made his - 

" Yixing !" Junmyeon felt nervous under the penetrating gaze of the other, cleared his throat to dissipate his discomfort a little.

"Of course, uhmm ... as I said before I wanted to invite you to a date but I think you had a very busy day."

If he had to be honest, he felt exhausted and all he wanted at the time was to take a shower and be able to lie on his bed, but he knew that Yixing had put part of his effort to plan something for the night, he was even dressed for the occasion with black dress pants and shoes of the same color, a button-down shirt with a black touch on the hem of the sleeves, a casual outfit and the young man did not want to disappoint him.

-"... Maybe a dinner doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Are you sure?" Junmyeon could feel the enthusiasm in his voice which made him smile a little.

***

Despite the small inconvenience of the afternoon, Yixing had hoped that dinner would be a success, but a look at the prince's rigid and tense stance made him believe otherwise, although he should admit that he felt uncomfortable himself.

They were in one of Korea's most famous restaurants, not only for its elegance but also for the prestigious place. The Queen had told him it was her son's favorite restaurant but ... his instincts told him otherwise.

After what happened in the prince's office, the young Chinese believed that he had been forgiven, after all, he had been able to help him with the project budget to use in the meeting, the car trip had not turned out so badly. It had actually been pleasant to hear more about Junmyeon's ideas, the projects he had in mind and how he wanted to show that despite being young, his ideas were what the Palace needed, not that he wanted to discredit traditions or culture itself , but he was aware that the world had changed and the Royal House could not be left behind, but it was once they arrived at the restaurant that silence again remained upon them. He did not doubt that the comments he heard about the establishment and the food were true, but the atmosphere that fell on them was ... deplorable.

Perhaps the tie he wore made him feel more suffocated and Junmyeon had a long day and knew that he worked from very early until late at night.

"Can I ask you a question, just out of curiosity ... This is not your favorite restaurant, right?" He could see how the prince looked away for a few seconds before taking a sip of wine from his glass.

"No, in fact it is my mother's favorite restaurant. "

Yixing sighed frustratedly, he should have known. His first instinct had been to ignore the queen's words. But ... She was the Queen after all, and he knew he couldn't afford to just ignore her.

He looked around, the rest of the diners with their elegant clothes, the dishes on his table that surely cost too much, the classical music of the guest Orchestra playing in the background was enough for the Chinese prince to make a decision. His gaze quickly turned to Junmyeon with a new glow.

" I have an idea. See you in the bathroom in 5 minutes." Without saying more, he got up from the table, Junmyeon observed that he had surely headed for the counter to pay for the food from which they did not taste a single bite. He felt very confused but was too tired to ask questions so after taking a look around, he also left the table.

He was trying to fix his hair and make sure he looked presentable when Yixing entered the bathroom.

"Damn it, this only complicates my plan."

"Plan?"

"I wanted to be dramatic and take your hand to escape through the window but ... these windows are smaller than I expected." The young man was right, the restaurant bathroom was elegant like the rest of the establishment and the windows were not strictly small but Junmyeon could assure that no person could go out there, since besides being small they were located on the upper side of the room. 

"Well, that only leaves us with another option." Without saying more he took Junmyeon's hand and guided him to the exit of the bathroom, the young man thought that such acclaimed "date" was about to end and that he would end up looking for some sandwich from the palace, he was sure the chefs had prepared enough food. However, instead of returning to the car Yixing took him from the back towards the kitchen, one of the waiters approached to tell them that the area was restricted but instead of obeying and turning around the young man ran away dragging Junmyeon with him. 

He did not know what was happening but apologized to everyone who collided with them, they crossed the entire kitchen until they reached the back door, a pleasant breeze received them when they left the restaurant. He wanted to ask for an explanation about what had just happened but Yixing dragged him down out of the alley where they were in a hurry while a mischievous smile adorned his face. 

"Can you tell me what are you doing?" Junmyeon refuted, stopping after running through the streets of Seoul dragged by the young Chinese.

"I'm taking you to our date."

"I thought that dinner was our date."

"No, that was the date your mother had planned for us and neither of us was enjoying it. Listen, I wanted each one of our dates to be special were we would have a good time not being tense during the rest of the evening while you hate me internally for having obeyed your mother."

"... well I ... I didn't expect that kind of answer. But why leave the restaurant that way? The bodyguards and the driver will not know where we are."

"That's the point my dear Junmyeon . Please, do you really like to be followed all the time? Not having any privacy? .... Having every detail about our date report it to your parents?" That last certainly bothered him, after so many years he was tired of always being watched. 

"Let's say I understand that but, last time you said you didn't know anything about Korea and if your plan was that dinner… what are we going to do now?" Junmyeon didn't want to admit it but it made him nervous not to have a plan but at the same time if he had to be honest with himself, he was very curious to see what the rest of the night held for them.

"Don't worry about anything, leave it to me. Of course, first we have to mix with the rest."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we wouldn't want to catch much attention, we are somewhat public figures so we should be a little careful." While saying this Yixing unbuttoned the first buttons of his shirt and folded his sleeves making him look a little more casual, almost like a normal person. When he saw the stoic Junmyeon in front of him, he apologized before undoing the knot of his tie and quickly putting it in his pants pocket. 

"I think that suit makes you too formal for our date." a look at himself reminded him that he was still in his work attire, he got rid of his jacket, which Yixing offered to carry and prepared to follow the example of the Chinese prince in unbuttoning the first buttons of his shirt and his sleeves so that he rolled them up to his forearms. It could sound stupid but ... he felt good even if he was "scruffy", he felt satisfied that he could breathe more comfortably.

"Perfect, just a little detail." Before he could ask what he meant, he felt Yixing's hands on his hair, messing up his perfect executive appearance. He knew that his hair was somewhat long, in fact he had considered making an appointment with the Royal stylist to cut it a little but he couldn't find the time to do it and now thanks to Yixing he felt the bangs on his forehead, giving him a more innocent look. 

"Now listen well Kim Junmyeon, Do you agree to accompany me for the rest of the night? Not as the crown prince to the throne, nor the future governor of the Kingdom of Korea, but as Junmyeon , a charming young man of 27 years with the most beautiful smile I've seen in my life" Yixing extended his hand expectantly. 

"I'm 26 and a half."

"Is that really the only thing that mattered to you about my speech?" His response was the pleasant laugh he had been waiting to hear all day. 

" So ... charming?"

"Do you prefer that I use other adjectives to describe yourself? I have many more like, attractive, captivating, wonderful, fascinating."

"Okay, stop. It's enough." he wanted to sound serious but he knew that his tone had been totally opposite in addition to the heat he felt on his cheeks and the smile that he obviously couldn't hide. He took Yixing's hand waiting for the young man to stop shaming him and they ventured through the streets of the city that were crowded with people, after all, Seoul came alive at night. 

He was sure that Yixing didn't had the slightest idea of where they were but he did his best to silence the worry in his head and let himself be guided by the other. He had feared that they would be recognized immediately but all the people around him seemed to be focused on their phones or their companions, so it was not very difficult for them to get lost in the crowd. 

It had been a while since he had fun like that, he didn't even know if there had been a time when he had had such a good time. Instead of the expensive dishes that they were about to eat a few minutes ago they were now buying street food, if his mother found out she would surely make a fuss about how unhealthy and bad taste, however Junmyeon definitely opined what contrary. 

For the first time in a long time he felt free, walking freely through the streets of the city without any bodyguards or protocol to follow and being the first time Yixing visiting it felt as if they were both discovering the city together. For the first time trying the traditional snacks, as well as when they spent a few minutes at a convenience store to buy instant noodles, some sausages and the traditional rice balls, foods that they knew were not healthy at all but as Yixing had mentioned throughout the night, "They should enjoy the full experience."

After that they had met a small fair near the Han River, they did not quite understand the reason for the fair or if there was a special occasion but they did not waste time venturing into it. Anyone who saw them on the streets would not think they were the future governors and heirs of the nations, but on the contrary. They looked like a couple of boys enjoying the night, laughing and running from side to side always holding hands, they passed from one stand to another laughing and enjoying the weather and the atmosphere generated by the fair and the people who were in it. 

They stopped at one of the stands, Yixing looked very excited to try his luck or that's what he said. It was one of the entertainment games which consisted of tearing down small towers of bottles that were on the other side of the counter with a toy rifle which had small balls like ammunition, and if it was successful they were entitled to a prize. Junmyeon had always thought that these kinds of games were designed so that visitors never won and that way they kept leaving their money in more attempts but, he didn't know if he had been wrong all the time or Yixing had very good aim. 

He started from the easiest level and won some chocolates, some keychains and other things that Junmyeon's arms were not able to hold, had drawn the attention of the people around him since some of them were excited about the fact that the young Chinese did not seem fail ever, so much that the audience around them had begun to encourage him to win the last round in which the jackpot was a huge white stuffed sheep. The moment he felt that one of the observers pushed him lightly as he moved through the crowd, he noticed the amount of people around them, if someone came to recognize them, it could be an awkward situation and something dangerous. He tried to tilt his face a little in order to hide, he had been so distracted in how radiant Yixing looked under the lights of the fair and the dimple that appeared on his cheek every time he smiled when he won a new prize that hadn't noticed his surroundings. 

He heard a great cheering around him and realized that the young man had won the last round and everyone congratulated him, well everyone except the owner of the shelf who was not happy to have lost almost all his prizes in one night. He received the stuffed animal and Junmyeon saw him as he enjoyed his moment of victory with the rest and when he turned around to deposit the new gift in the prince's arms he realized that he could no longer load them, he was about to congratulate him when he started to hear some murmurs behind him: "His face is familiar to me", "No, I don't think it's him, what would he be doing around here?"

His face must have betrayed him or Yixing had also heard them so he hurriedly entwined his hand with Junmyeon and began to work his way through the people, always with a smile trying to be polite but avoiding eye contact with all of them. He didn't want to take a risk, so he started running with Junmyeon, who after a few blocks felt tired forcing them to stop for a few moments. 

They had reached a park that the prince recognized, they should be within walking distance of the palace. The park was wide, surrounded by trees and flowers, had a path for bike rides, runners and those who went out with their pets but also had a playground for children with swings, rocking chairs and slides. They sat on one of the benches in front of the games still trying to catch their breath, Junmyeon deposited all the prizes by his side - he was sure he had lost some on the way - he had been so focused on Yixing and the adventures of the night that He had not noticed that it was too late,10 pm to be exact and they had escaped from the restaurant around 6 in the afternoon, he had definitely lost track of time. Thinking about all the things they had done and how they had to run a few minutes ago even if nobody chased them made him laugh, he started slightly but quickly climbed up to an uncontrollable laugh, so much that he could feel the tears peeking out of his eyes without noticing the pair of eyes that looked at him fondly.

"What is so funny?"

"Everything!" He said enthusiastically once he had calmed down. "This night was crazy, I had never done anything like that.-

"Do what? Have the best date of your life?"

"I wasn't going to say that! It's just that I had never escaped my obligations."

"Hey, they weren't obligations if all you had planned was to be with me."

"I mean, I've always done everything according to an agenda, always surrounded by bodyguards and look what happened tonight! We spent hours in that fair and on the streets and we weren't recognized for a single second." That last made the young Chinese laugh softly. 

"You're right, well at least we can say that our camouflage was a success. Have you ever been to a fair like that?"

Junmyeon shook his head. "No, never. This was my first time, actually many things that happened tonight were my first time."

"Is that so? Which ones? - Junmyeon could see how Yixing s turned a little in his seat so he could observe him better showing real interest in listening to him, not just words of courtesy.

"Mmmm, as I said before, it was my first getaway. My first time at a convenience store, go to a fair, eat street food, Oh! Eat cotton candy! I had never tried before is amazing, it really melts in your mouth." He didn't know why butI it felt exciting to remember all the things they had done, it seemed so much in such a short time.

"What?! You never had cotton candy before today? Kim Junmyeon, you've really lived under a stone." That last cost him a little punch to his arm by a slightly annoyed prince.

"It's not my fault, my parents have never been fans of sugar or anything that is unhealthy or in their case, expensive". Yixing found it difficult to take an annoyed prince seriously when his lips formed an adorable pout .

"Well, I guess you have no choice. You only have to accompany me on more dates to discover new things."

"Okay." It had been a light comment that he hadn't expected Junmyeon's quick response with that distinctive glow of emotion in his eyes. Yixing had been delighted the rest of the night, watching him smile at all times, enjoy some freedom. At one point in the night he could have sworn that he saw how the white of his skin shone under the lights of the fair, his curious eyes trying to absorb everything around him and the only thing that crossed Yixing's mind was that he wanted to make him happy, He wanted to keep that smile forever, he wanted to be able to pamper him, to give him everything he wanted, which is why he tried to win each of the prizes because every time he gave something to Junmyeon he could feel how the young man had not received many gifts when he was little. He did not realize that the distance between them had decreased and how his eyes drifted to the lips of the Korean prince who was dying to do something he had wanted all night. 

"What about our night riot?" It wasn't the time. He had promised not to do anything Junmyeon didn't want and didn't want to rush things, even if he could see some disappointment in the other when he walked sway a little.

"Well, it seems that you still have custody of the biggest prize."

"You're right! How do you want to call it?" he said while taking the stuffed animal in his hands, it was really huge, of that kind of stuffed animals that you can hug when you sleep.

"Call him? It's a stuffed animal, it doesn't need a name."

"Well we can call it Sheep for now, but you must think of a better name. What else do we have?" There turned out to be a lot of useless toys, some of them didn't even know how they served without mentioning the ones they lost along the way. In the end they only stayed with “Sheep”, some chocolates and sweets that did not waste time trying - although some turned out to be part of a kind of game with disgusting flavors, and a small rabbit-shaped crochet keychain, it was small, white with a light blue overalls and huge ears. 

They spent a few minutes entertaining with the toys before getting distracted a little with their surroundings, the park was empty which supposed to be normal due to the time but you could feel a resounding peace, the only sound that was heard was the casual wind between the trees, some crickets and in the background you could listen a little to the busy city. 

"Hey Junmyeon, you said there were many things you hadn't done as a child."

".... yes?"

"Have you ever played in those games when you were a kid?" Junmyeon had to follow the other's gaze to understand what he meant.

"Sure." Maybe his hasty response had betrayed him again. 

"Oh my God Kim Junmyeon ! Is this serious? No, no this cannot stay like this." He took Junmyeon's hand and dragged him into the playground at the center of the park, even if the other resisted a little Yixing was not satisfied until he deposited the young man on one of the swings, he positioned himself behind him to push at any moment but he did not seem willing to separate his feet from the ground. 

"I'm not sure about this."

"You don't have to be afraid Junmyeon , it's just a swing,it can't hurt you."

"I didn't lie when I said it wasn't my first time."

"So what is the problem?" After a few seconds and not getting any response, Yixing stood in front of the prince and lowered to his his height.

"I was probably 5 years old and I begged one of the guards to take me to a park to see what the emotion was in it. But after pushing me he got distracted and I fell."

"Hey but that's what childhood is about, bruises and scratches when playing and all you have to do is get up and try again."

"I had to wear a cast on my wrist for 1 month! And the guard was fired."

:Okay, maybe it was a bit serious but hey I suffered worse injuries in my dance practices and the occasional motorcycle fall."

"Motorcycle?" When Junmyeon made the move to stand up, Yixing hurried to get behind him again. 

"Don't worry, it was a bad experience but we can change it." Although the prince initially refused, minutes later he was laughing while Yixing gently pushed him from behind, and after a few minutes they were running around the playground. Yixing was trying to chase Junmyeon when he realized that the prince was somewhat sensitive to tickles and he was trying to run away. 

The playground was big, the swings were connected together with a small playhouse, which had steps and a small roof, on the other side there was a small bridge that connected it with sliders and hangers which assumed that they were to make them more interactive and let the children run in it. However, it was obvious that those games were not designed for adults, as the couple had to make an effort not to get stuck but none of that mattered at the moment. The only thing Junmyeon thought was to run away from Yixing's hands , while he only thought that he enjoyed how the silence of the night was interrupted by the prince's laughter thinking of reliving the childhood that was taken from him when he was a kid. It was evident that he had had a childhood full of luxuries but very lonely and restrictive, destined to be serious and responsible since childhood. 

Junmyeon was distracted for a few seconds but that was enough for Yixing to catch him, with his arms around Junmyeon's waist preventing him from escaping, they were both tired from laughing and running that they didn't realize how close they were until they could feel the breath of the other very close to their faces. The laughter dissipated but the embrace between them did not, in fact Yixing tightened his arms a little more while Junmyeon's hands found their way to Yixing's shoulders as he began to slowly leaned towards him, he could feel the delicate touch of his nose when the Chinese felt a few drops on his head. He separated a little from Junmyeon to observe the sky without noticing how the other followed his lips for a fraction of a second like a magnet. 

"Dammit! I forgot that they predicted rain for tonight, I even brought an umbrella but ... I left it in the car. How far are we from the palace?"

" Mmm ... I think a few blocks."

"In that case we must hurry."

Feeling like the raindrops began to fall faster they both ran towards the streets again, not forgetting the things they had left on the bench. Yixing took Junmyeon's suit who had insisted on carrying it all night and hurriedly placed it on his head, hoping to protect the prince from the rain but it was almost impossible due to the breeze. 

Luck seemed not to be on their side when the storm increased with every second but they were able to spot the palace in the distance and that motivated them to run faster. Once they arrived at the palace grounds they were recognized by the guards who undoubtedly opened the doors and quickly went to cover them with umbrellas almost at the entrance of the place. 

Once refugees from the rain some of the servants rushed to bring them towels and blankets that somehow stunned them for a minute but Junmyeon subtly dismissed them, asking them to prepare hot baths in their rooms while they both climbed the stairs in silence.

Junmyeon felt nervous, he felt his hands tremble not only from the cold but from something else when he remembered what had been about to happen in the park. The Chinese prince had accompanied him to his room as if he really did not want to have to separate from him, they watched in silence as the servants prepared everything and before they left Yixing asked one of them to please take care of washing and drying "Sheep" and return it to Junmyeon's room . 

When they were alone again, Junmyeon noticed the state of the other. His hair was soaked as well as the rest of his clothes, he could see the small drops of water falling from his hair and eyelashes. He saw how the young man's shirt was sticking to his body due to the moisture letting him see that defined torso that he had not repaired before, dancing really defined the muscles although he was sure that Yixing regularly visited the gym, that is, those abs had not appeared by magic, he could feel his hands shaking, not only because of the cold but because of ... no, it had to be the cold, after all it was past midnight. 

He wanted to be able to refuse but ... he admitted that the Chinese was really attractive. Yixing was trying to give him his space in a casual way while unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing, revealing a white center, surely unmanned, with a pronounced neck, such a vision was enough for Junmyeon to blush.

"Why are you getting undressed?!"

"I'm sorry, I hate this kind of thing, the feeling of dampness is just like, ew." Junmyeon was somewhat frustrated at this point in the night thinking that the other didn't notice what he was causing, so he inconsistently clung to the suit that fell on his shoulders. 

Yixing realized that Junmyeon seemed paler than normal, probably due to the cold and spending a lot of time in the rain since he was not used to spending so much time exposed. The Chinese prince worried and hurried the other to the bathroom to get warm but the other flinch with his touch so he apologized. 

"I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention I think ... I think I'm abusing my stay. Mmm sorry about the rain."

"You don't have to apologize for that, you can't control the weather."

"I know but ... I wanted our first date to be perfect."

"It was." the young man did not lie when he said it, things had not gone as planned but that made him more than perfect and seeing how Yixing smiled with his response he knew that the other also shared his thoughts. 

"Well, I ... let you rest then.... Good night and ... sleep well." The young man went to the exit and was about to close the door when Junmyeon called him in a hurry. 

"Yixing!" He heard Junmyeon's quick footsteps and was about to answer but, the words were trapped in his mouth as his lips were being pressed with Junmyeon's . It was an unexpected and it surely lasted for seconds but Yixing felt it as an eternity. The prince's lips were soft as he had imagined, they were somewhat cold due to the rain but he didn't care because the only thing he felt going through his whole body was warmth and happiness, his hand automatically reached Junmyeon's cheek stroking him gently. 

When they broke the kiss they did not separate, their foreheads were still touching and Junmyeon could see Yixing's smile spread across his face. When he felt that the adrenaline he had felt seconds ago that had prompted him to act began to disappear he whispered "Good night" before stepping back and closing the door quickly. He felt like his heart was beating so hard that it could explode any moment while he lay a few minutes on the door, he didn't want to think about what just happened, or think about the reprimand he would receive from his parents in the morning but he was sure that later from this it would be difficult for him to face the young Chinese the next time, perhaps what he needed was not a hot bath but an icy shower. 

On the other hand, Yixing, still surprised by what just happened, reacted belatedly to how stunned he was. He just touched his lips for a second while still smiling, thinking that indeed... it had been the perfect date. 


	3. Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junmyeon was tired, he could tell how he seemed to be fighting to keep his eyes open and he was failing miserably. Holding him in his arms made him the happiest person in the world, even more so when he was able to hear him laugh for a few seconds. He wasn't lying when he said it was music to his ears, he was beginning to believe it was the best sound he had ever heard and would do anything to hear that laugh again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate myself. 
> 
> oh yeah, English is not my first language so please if you see any mistakes let me know.

After that first date, many more followed. Some not as casual as the first, but Junmyeon was willing to spend as much time as he could with Yixing. It had been a matter of weeks but he had realized that the Chinese prince was different from the rest of the people he had met before, he was honest, kind, with a pure heart and seemed to show a genuine interest in him, to know him for who he really was. 

They were trying to adjust to Junmyeon's schedule and so far they had been able to enjoy some quiet afternoons where they spent together in the palace library discussing their favorite books, for some it might sound like boring and very simple thing to do but for Junmyeon had been very happy, reading was one of his favorite hobbies and it was something he seemed to share with the young chinese. They talked about their favorite genres, and Yixing was quick to recommend some authors and works that might interest him.

On other occasions Yixing had surprised him with picnics inside the palace gardens, he didn’t have the slightest idea of how the young chinese found the most appropriate moment to distract him from the mountains of papers and work on his shoulders. They used to enjoy privacy and good weather, the young man worked so hard that he even took care of preparing the food, leaving Junmyeon amazed at his culinary skills. Those were probably the dates he liked the most, both enjoying each other's company under the shadow of one of the big trees in the garden, Yixing made simple and traditional snacks and tried to make sure that even the smallest detail was perfect. 

Junmyeon had been feeling very nervous after what had happened on the night of their first date, when he gathered up the courage and dared to give him a short kiss. He believed that the atmosphere between them would become uncomfortable but in reality it was just the opposite. Surely Yixing knew that the young man would feel ashamed, which is why he took great care to make him see that this detail had made him very happy and it was from that moment that the relationship between them solidified a little more. Yixing was learning when to give him his space and when it was convenient to assure him of his affection with physical contact. A little caress on his head, a little pat on his shoulder, a caress on his arm to help him calm down or distract him, or the hugs that seemed to comfort a tired Junmyeon. 

"You are too adorable Junmyeon." Yixing commented, seeing how the prince smiled as he tried the sandwiches he had prepared. 

"A prince shouldn't be adorable ..."

"It makes me want to hug you all the time." 

"We could ... I mean, we can do that." 

"Well, you can't take that back now." He said before tightly surrounding the prince in his arms, savoring every second and taking advantage by burying his face in the crock of the other’s neck, breathing in that soft sweet aroma, which reminded him of the cotton candy of his first date. 

“This is bad.”

“What's bad?”

"Trying to restrain myself is getting harder and harder Junmyeon, I hope you will be more considerate of my poor heart." Yixing made comments like that more and more often without realizing that Junmyeon was smiling sweetly upon hearing him.

They also enjoyed the short walks in the gardens or the occasions when they used to return to the park of their first date and although they could not always escape from some bodyguards, they kept a prudent distance with the couple and did their best to ignore them, something that It wasn't really that difficult since Junmyeon was distracted by Yixing's sparkling eyes, with his contagious laugh, with the adorable dimple on his cheek which was dying to summon up courage and to be able to touch it, with the occasional friction between their hands that always ended with a delicate but firm grip for the rest of their dates.

In such a short time Yixing had also become Junmyeon's main support regarding his projects, the prince was always willing to listen to him talking for hours about the different plans he had, the ideas and goals he wanted to fulfill and how despite some of them sounded very ambitious, he always supported him and tried to help him see things a little more positive. Yixing repeatedly told him how proud he was of the results he achieved, his perseverance, and the hard work he did that he even loved to brag about his accomplishments with his family in China, despite Junmyeon's insistence that he should stop creating a perfect image with his parents when he felt that he was far from being it, conversations that only ended with a Yixing a little annoyed to see how the prince devalued himself. 

They had reached such a point that Junmyeon was relieved to be given the opportunity to get to know the young Chinese man more and was really comfortable with his presence that when he had to perform at some social events he felt more boring than usual. He knew they were part of his responsibilities but the idea of having to shake hands with a hundred people who were present just to appear to be friendly to him, was not very pleasant. He imagined the comments that the young Chinese would make if he were his company at night, he would surely criticize the food and without understanding why being a sophisticated evening the portions of food were very small, merely snacks, or they could argue about the plot of the books who were currently reading and how he had been right in guessing the villain, or would simply be by his side distracting him from social chaos.

Reason why he did not put up much resistance when his parents made the comment to reveal an official statement of their engagement, on one condition: that the couple were the ones who decided the date of their future marriage. Junmyeon was eternally grateful for Yixing's request, he didn't expect something like that but it was further proof that the young Chinese really paid attention to his concerns.

The news was revealed by the Royal family through a press conference to disclose the details in a diplomatic and concise manner. Yixing's parents had traveled the night before so they could meet Junmyeon and his parents prior to the announcement of their engagement. 

The news and newspapers did not waste time and bombarded social networks with the announcement as well as several of them crowded outside the palace with the illusion of obtaining front page photos or exclusive interviews with the Royal family, however security had been reinforced in prevention of any type of incident. 

In the same way, the families organized an evening as a celebration of the prince's commitment. The royal hall of the palace was full of different ministers and authorities with their respective companions, as well as other friends and acquaintances of their parents. Members of Yixing’s family and some representatives of his reign.

The night seemed eternal, the parents of the princes addressed the public thanking them for their presence and the happiness that this union would bring to their respective countries. The food had been prepared by renowned chefs with a variety of dishes from both Korea and China. This time Junmyeon was not so overwhelmed with the number of people he had to greet and listen to because he could count on Yixing's presence by his side, he actually felt calm and could afford to ignore the looks his mother directed him from across the room. 

Hours later, when the guests had retired and the princes had a moment to themselves they could breathe easily, they knew that this had only been the beginning of how chaotic it could be in the future. However, Yixing was proud of Junmyeon, how he managed to remain calm and always respectful towards anyone who approached them during the night. 

He had mentioned it since he saw the prince before the guests arrived but Junmyeon looked spectacular that night in his Royal ceremonial attire. His outfit was his own and fit for a prince, perfectly tailored to suit him. It was black in color, enhancing the perfect contrast of his own white robes. Junmyeon's pants were subtly embossed at the edges. His neck and shoulders adorned with gold-colored folds, as well as the seams that were on his chest, which carried a band that crossed from his right shoulder to his left side, where the different brooches with the royal seals rested. 

Yixing thought that the boy looked very attractive, no matter how many times he had seen him in his work clothes, each set took his breath away, but if he had to be honest, he preferred to see Junmyeon in more casual clothes. The outfits he wore for their dates, which sometimes consisted of more casual shorts or shirts gave him a more innocent look which he found extremely adorable. 

Furthermore, Yixing's outfit was similar to Junmyeon's, with the difference of the white and cream color scheme with some seams characteristic of his Kingdom. He was aware that Junmyeon's mother had considered them a bit informal having seen him before the evening, but did not comment on it. He knew that even Junmyeon felt a little nervous in his place due to his mother's gaze but Yixing just unclasped the first buttons of his uniform, interlaced his hand with Junmyeon and entered among the guests to be out of the visual range from the parents of the Korean prince.

Most of the night had been successful however that meant the couple did not stay in one place for long and at the end of the evening he could see how Junmyeon was tired with his heavy eyes so he put his arm over the the other's waist to support him, an action that made the young man blush, even more when he heard the contained laughter from Yixing. 

The young man wanted to have enough energy to get upset but Junmyeon was very sleepy, the activities of the last days were taking their toll and he was allowing himself to feel tired so without any resistance he leaned on Yixing, who took the opportunity to guide him to the exit of the room.

Having the prince almost in his arms a short distance away made him feel happy but also a little anxious.

"You make it harder for me Junmyeon. I'm sorry if one of these days I do more than hug you.” He said in a low voice before sighing, guiding him on the way to the stairs.

Junmyeon stopped and said quietly. "Well ... we are publicly engaged."

The young Chinese almost lost his balance on one of the steps upon hearing those words.

“Excuse me?”

From that angle, Yixing could see closely at his bright curious eyes, his skin still glowing in the chandelier light above their heads; his gaze appreciating the bridge of his nose at the perfect angle, his defined jaw and the slight blush on his cheeks.

"Actually ... what I meant to say is that ... I thought that after the other night when I ..." Yixing listened as Junmyeon seemed to be fighting with words to express himself, but he believed that he managed to understand him without needing more.

He had been an idiot, all these days, had Junmyeon been giving him time? He believed that it was him who was giving the time to the other but perhaps had offended him in some way, although Junmyeon had given no hint of being upset with him. Anyway, he didn't care about anything else because it was something he had wanted to do for weeks, rather than since the day his eyes first saw him.

"May I?" Yixing asked anxiously as Junmyeon had averted his gaze as if the ground was suddenly the most interesting thing that could exist. He tried to sound confident but in reality his nerves betrayed him and he only whispered.

"You don't have to ask permission." 

Without another word, Yixing's fingers slid down his jaw, lifting his chin to get a better look at him and then sliding his touch to the back of his neck where his hand seemed to fit perfectly before closing the distance between them. 

Time seemed to move in slow motion or at least that's what Yixing thought when trying to savor every second. Junmyeon's lips were softer and warmer compared to the previous time and while their first kiss had been short and rushed this was just the opposite. It was slow and delicate, he could feel the sweet taste of champagne on the prince's lips. One of Yixing's hands was still clinging to the back of his neck, pulling lightly on his hair while the other hand had positioned itself on Junmyeon's waist, drawing him closer to him. He had forgotten that they were halfway up the stairs until he felt the handrail bump into his back realizing that Junmyeon didn't seem to consider the idea of ending the kiss, he didn't seem to have control over his body but he felt the need to hold onto something before his legs failed him because of the nerves that ran through his entire body. Which is why his hands gripped Yixing's sides by squeezing the hem of his jacket.

Neither of them knew how long it had been when Yixing back away, giving Junmyeon room to catch his breath, looking at him with his big eyes and slightly swollen lips. He took a moment to admire the prince's features, he really did not know what he had done in his past life to obtain such a reward. He gave a second chaste kiss before leaning more comfortably on the railing. Neither of them seemed to want to break the silence between them, it was comfortable and perfect. 

Yixing watched him as if he wanted to memorize every detail of his face in his memory, while Junmyeon kept seeing the lips of the other, regretting not having repeated this before. He began to feel the heat spread down his cheeks realizing that the position they were in was very intimate, their bodies were so close that he wondered if the Chinese prince could hear the frenzy of his heart, the words he wanted to say were forgotten when he saw the smile spread across Yixing's face.

"So… I don't have to ask for permission in the future?"

“I do not think it's necessary.”

“Okay.” Despite his heart telling him otherwise, Yixing was the first to move.

The hand that was around Junmyeon's waist remained in place while the other moved from his neck to his cheek gently caressing him. Junmyeon didn't want to say it out loud, but it felt good. All this, the announcement of their engagement that had actually stopped scaring him, his relationship with Yixing felt natural and comfortable without the need to force anything. And the other gave him the time and space he needed, even more if he had to admit it but ... he was grateful. Which is why he closed the distance between them again with the strong need to hug him. Yixing instantly understood and put his arms around him as he felt Junmyeon relax on him. That feeling went through his body again, a sense of relief, of tranquility. He could sense the still strong smell of gardenias with a vanilla mix. It is what Junmyeon associated with Yixing, a sweet, fresh and natural scent and at those moments he wanted nothing more than to lose himself in that aroma. 

He must have waited for Yixing to escort him to his room, that way they hadn't been interrupted. 

"Prince Zhang." Queen Kim's cold tone made Junmyeon quickly distance himself, his face became rigid again and the blush on his face had disappeared. Yixing turned to see the Queen at the bottom of the stairs and tried to position himself in front of Junmyeon in order to shield him a bit from her mother's gaze and at the same time took the opportunity to take the prince's hand.

"Yixing, please. We are practically family. You can call me by name, Your Majesty.” He tried to sound as cordial as he could while smiling sweetly hoping not to offend her with his tone. However, the slight squeeze he received from Junmyeon indicated that the other was nervous. 

"Sure, Yixing." Although the Queen also smiled, the young man knew that it was not a sincere smile. 

"Sorry to interrupt but your parents were asking about you. I understand that two of you are tired but you should have waited for the rest of the guests to leave the palace.” 

"My apologies, I wanted to escort Junmyeon to his room." 

"I appreciate your kindness, but don't worry. Also, I need to have a word with him.”

Before the Chinese prince could say anything else, he felt Junmyeon give his still intertwined hands a little squeeze and a small smile signaling that he was fine. He sighed and obeyed, bowing slightly as he passed the Queen. He was a few steps from the entrance to the main hall when he decided to look at Junmyeon one last time, his face showed a serene expression but Yixing could notice how tense he was, which is why he decided that he would try to invite Junmyeon for a walk to the next day, if his schedule allowed it.

***

After the announcement of the engagement, the news and newspaper headlines about the new couple occupied the front pages for weeks. Even if in public view it could be a sea of speculative articles about them and their relationship, the reality inside the palace walls was a little different, their lives did not have the drama or impossible love story that everyone imagined, it was just quite the opposite.

Perhaps the beginning of their _ relationship _ had been a little complicated, but when they had given themselves the opportunity to get to know each other, they had reached the point of living comfortably and even establishing certain routines. 

Some of them consisted of having breakfast together in the morning and if he managed to be home early, Yixing used to wait for him to have dinner. He took advantage of those moments to talk with the young man about the new project he was working on, which consisted of changes and new reforms in the law. This was one of the projects that he had wanted to work on for a long time, but in reality he had felt insecure and pessimistic about his own ideas, but the young Chinese had encouraged him to develop it further. His advisers insist that it was not a good idea to propose these changes, since the law did not need any arrangement, however he knew that some things could be solved if his new reforms were accepted. 

Times had changed, the current laws and statutes that governed state institutions were not enough for the needs of the population. 

The Chinese prince was very enthusiastic about Junmyeon's ideas that he tried to help him when he could, sometimes they prolonged their talks during dinner and then in the prince's office. Before, Yixing had rarely had the opportunity to see a certain room, but now it was one of the places he visited the most.

The office bore some resemblance to Junmyeon's office, with several shelves piled high with books, but these were different from those found in the palace library, most of them being books on politics, economics, administration, and even some dictionaries. The desk was littered with documents as they both went through reviewing reports and helped him go over what he had discussed with his team that afternoon.

The nights when they argued in Junmyeon's office became so frequent that Yixing had either gotten into the habit of making some snacks or used to request the palace cooks to prepare desserts after dinner, as he had noticed how the prince had a sweet palate and some weakness with cakes. Even so Yixing decided to always take care of the drinks, sometimes he chose to prepare some hot tea with special herbs but he knew Junmyeon's preference for coffee, he had memorized the exact amount of sugar and a little milk so that the young man could work a little more but without having trouble falling asleep. 

There were nights when the Korean prince returned very tired, and had the initiative to continue working from home but the other did not allow it. He could see that sometimes the boy did not care much about his health, so he adopted it as one of his responsibilities. He found it adorable when the prince tried to dissuade with his expressive eyes but Yixing knew that he had to stay strong. He thought everything was on the right track, but it was too good to be true.

Yixing didn’t have many opportunities to talk with the King and Queen, not because he did not want to, but because they rarely met at the Palace. He had spoken to them on the day of his arrival in Korea, the night they invited him to stay at the Palace and the night they announced the engagement. 

Those small occasions had been enough for him to observe how the prince used to close himself when his parents were nearby. He couldn't see that smile anymore, those funny remarks, it was as if a mask appeared on him and hid everything he had known these months.

So he knew that things were going to be a little different when he heard that the King and Queen were in the Palace again. He tried to be cordial and respectful by inviting the Queen to an afternoon tea, prepared by himself with some herbs that his mother had sent him. 

He thought that maybe they could take the opportunity to get to know each other better and maybe she could have some ideas of tentative dates for the wedding, that even if the couple had said that they would be the ones to announce a specific date, they did not want to put aside the opinion of Junmyeon's parents completely. It could also be a good occasion to discuss some other preparation, or they could even discuss a general topic. However, things were somewhat contrary to what he had expected.

The Queen limited herself to talking about political issues and possible treaties they were planning to make with his nation, the young man tried to change the subject but all his attempts failed.

What had started with a nice idea for Yixing ended up becoming a kind of business talk, and not a very pleasant one. Hearing the tone the Queen used with him made him wonder if it was the same one she had used with Junmyeon since he was a child, which explained a lot about the relationship that the prince showed with his parents. Their conversation was interrupted by a call that seemed to be very important since after a few seconds the Queen excused herself and retired to her office. 

After that awkward conversation Yixing had retired to his room, he had spent talking with her mother on the phone since after the announcement of the engagement they had to quickly return to China, but not before reminding Yixing that he should also return soon, his parents could take responsibility some of his business but he had been in Korea for a few months and couldn't continue to defer some of his responsibilities.

Even while away, Yixing had tried not to neglect some of his projects and had frequent conversations with his parents and advisers but knew that at some point his presence would be required. He had tried to put it off as long as he could because he didn't want to think of leaving Junmyeon alone again in that vast Palace. 

He had spent hours on the phone discussing both business and banal things with his parents, most of the time his mother insisted on talking about Junmyeon although apparently Yixing did not need pressure to boast of the good attributes and qualities of the korean prince. When he ended his call, he decided to lie down for a moment in what he expected Junmyeon to return from the office so they could have dinner together, however those minutes turned into hours and when he woke up the first thing he noticed was that the sun had gone down and it was already night.

* * *

Junmyeon had been working hard for weeks and hoped to get good results, had consulted with his most trusted advisers, knew that his presentation couldn't be more perfect even Yixing had motivated him, but knew that the opinion of the council could collapse his work in a matter of seconds. 

Preparations for the meeting the next day took more time than expected, and when he realized he had to go home, the sun had already gone down. He thought that the Chinese prince would wait for him for dinner but the dining room was empty, instead he found one of the servants informing him that his parents were in the palace and were waiting for him in his office. Hearing that made him felt even more tired but with a resigned walk he decided that it was easier to rush it maybe after that he could have some tea with Yixing since it was too late. He didn't know since when he had started to think of the other prince as a comforting presence but he didn't want to question it. 

Particularly, the prince didn't have any fond memories in his parents' office, his mother always took him there when she rebuked him about his lack of manners at one of the important and elegant dinners, or when his father was upset by the comments he received on the part of Junmyeon's personal tutors, it is not that the young man was a bad student, but rather he had always been very clever, but he tended to question the tutors too much about their teaching methods, or sometimes questioned political action with his own personal opinion.

He took a deep breath and tried to straighten his posture before entering the room. Their parents maintained the appearance Junmyeon had always observed of them within those walls, both with serious expressions.

Her mother was elegantly behind the desk, his father on the other hand was on his back, his gaze fixed on the gardens through the window on the side of the room. 

“Did you want to see me?”

Her mother gestured to him to take a seat across from her. 

"You missed dinner time. Why did you come back so late, Junmyeon?”

For some reason her mother's tone sounded colder than normal, if that was possible. His father, on the other hand, kept turning his back to him and wondered what was really happening. 

"I was working on some reports." 

"Reports ... Are they referring to tomorrow's meeting?"

-...Yes. In fact at tomorrow's meeting I—”

“I thought your job was to review social projects.” The disdain and disapproval in his father's tone gave him an indication of why he was there. Even if he still had his back Junmyeon could see the tension in his shoulders and when he finally turned around his gaze was too hard that the prince could not keep it, he turned to see that his mother had the same expression. 

“However, this afternoon I received a call from the secretary and it seems that… there is some concern.” He knew that his parents would find out sooner or later but they were supposed to be traveling. He tried to control his body language so that it doesn't show how nervous he was.

“The meeting is merely the review and approval of new projects and the respective amounts of the annual budget that will be designated to each of them. Is there a problem?”

"I wouldn't call it a problem but rather a confusion. I'm sure there must be a mistake but Junmyeon, what were you thinking?”

“...I’m Sorry?”

“Your job in that office is to listen to the proposals, analyze them and approve them. If the case requires it, you can deny but you do not have the authority to impose.”

"I think there is a misunderstanding, I don't-"

"Well I hope it is, otherwise we would be disappointed about your poor performance." 

At times Junmyeon considered that he had heard his parents on numerous occasions addressing him with such contempt and indifference that at this point in his life nothing else could hurt him, he had been wrong. He could feel his strong facade beginning to crack. 

“Junmyeon, could you be so kind as to explain to us why you are considering the implementation of so many projects, you presented requests for the replacement of some ministers, and last but not least your initiative in proposing reforms to the regulations that govern this Kingdom.” He knew that his parents would not approve of his ideas, much less his initiatives, but he did not expect it to be this way.

“The projects are to help different orphanages and nursing homes that have lost their sponsors and main allies, they need a little help to continue their work. The ministers I asked to remove ... they don't deserve the position they have.”

“You are talking about authorities who have spent years in their work and who have done nothing but work honestly.” his father reproached quickly. 

"Honestly?" That simple word made him lose his sanity for a fraction of a second, due to the outrage he felt. 

“According to the reports and audits carried out, 4 ministers are involved in clandestine activities and money laundering. Fortunately, that information has not yet reached the media, it is better that they leave their posts and take responsibility before it becomes a scandal.”

“The contacts with whom they are intermediaries would be affected.” His mother answered automatically, looking away and making eye contact with her husband. Junmyeon felt like they could communicate without saying a word.

“Is that the only thing that worries you?”

“They did the work that was competing for them, I don't see what the problem is.”

"The problem is that they stole money, cheated and abused their power. The population has trusted them and betrayed their trust.”

"This goes beyond something as simple as trust, Junmyeon. You must understand it and put your emotions aside when making these kinds of decisions." His father intervened, who was now more upset than at the beginning of the conversation. The young prince could see it, it was clear from the look he shared with his mother. Which is why he was disappointed.

"You knew that." They knew what these people had done all this time ... and they did nothing.

"As members of the Crown we must be aware of our position. Sometimes we have to keep quiet, keep our opinions even if that turns out to be the most difficult job."

A voice in his head warned the young man that the best option was to remain silent, accept what his parents said and forget it, but he was tired of living like this. Tired of having to put aside his beliefs and let himself be guided by the decisions that others make instead when he knows the consequences that these could bring. That is why he insisted. 

“That is not right. Our job is to ensure good compliance with the laws, ensure the well-being of our people and not turn our backs on you no matter what. They ask us to be free, that they do not look over their shoulders or dominate them. They don't want to be ruled by someone who doesn't even know them, someone who doesn't know who they are.”

His mother got up from the chair and positioned herself in front of him, presenting her immaculate and serene face but with a cold gaze. 

"It seems that you speak more of yourself than of our population. Our true job is to be impartial. Something that some might consider difficult to maintain due to human inclinations. But we cannot forget that it is our own people who expect us to be the right image to represent them, that we trust and accept or even deny when it corresponds to us, but showing a certain position is a luxury that we cannot have. It is time for you to understand that the less we get involved we are consolidating that image that is expected of us.”

Impotence. That's what Junmyeon felt from the bottom of his heart. He felt with his hands tied, he wanted to be able to fulfill his role but at the same time he felt that he could do something more. Something better. 

'The laws must change.” He said in a low voice. 

It's something he had been considering for a long time, his parents had focused on the changes he wanted to make from his staff but not what he had been working on the past few weeks.

“What did I tell you about babbling?”

This time the young prince gathered up his courage and stared at his mother. He stood up and directed his gaze for a few seconds at his father, hoping to keep their attention.

"We can change the laws. Carry out reforms, so that our participation in decision-making is not merely ornamental. If we are able to see the inconsistencies, errors and aspects that can be improved, why not do them ourselves? On numerous occasions I have seen the need to accept things that are not right, that do not represent the well-being of the population but on the contrary, have an impact on them. And I don't think that-"

“It's enough.” Her father interrupted. His gaze warned him that the king had ended the discussion. "It is clear that you still have things to learn Junmyeon, the crown is -"

“Are you listening to each other?! We cannot take any position, we limit ourselves to having a voice and vote, if we have none of it we are nothing. What is the meaning of our position?! I am not saying that we should take power away from the council or the ministers but our opinion could also be considered especially when the reality that is presented to us is different from that of a few years ago, we cannot be left behind.” He was tired, frustrated and upset and until he finished speaking he noticed his parents' expression. It was the first time in his life that he raised his tone of voice that way. His mother's harsh expression had cracked for a few seconds allowing him to see a dubious look, while his father looked away. 

"... All these years and you haven't had the courage to-" The burning on his cheek was immediate.

He had probably upset his mother a lot because this time he swore he could feel a metallic taste in his mouth. The Queen seemed to have reacted on impulse as the moment she realized what had just happened she tried to approach Junmyeon but he stepped back. He did not intend to apologize, he did not want to. 

He took another step back and without saying another word went to the door as fast as he could, he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. He was walking quickly down the hallways looking for the only person he felt he could trust, wanting to be in his arms, to tell him that everything would be fine.

He ignored the gazes of the guards who were on his way when he felt the tears begin to roll down his cheeks, speeding his way until he reached the other side of the Palace in front of Yixing's door. He was about to knock when he realized the time. _ Was he really going to bother Yixing about something so stupid? _He had returned late and the discussion with his parents felt eternal, he was sure that the Chinese prince should be resting.

It was impossible for him to contain his tears when he felt his legs fail him. Surely he looked pathetic on the floor crying silently in the middle of the night without being able to knock on the door, he had called his parents cowards for not being able to use their voices in front of the ministers but he was not much different.

Junmyeon believed that he was on the verge of the limit. He was tired of living his days under pressure from his parents about the role of a "perfect Prince" always keeping himself collected and silent, thinking about all the things he had kept quiet over the years and how that had played against him. Yixing probably had not had to face situations like these since he had observed how his relationship with his parents was very different from his, so it was possible that he did not understand him. 

The only thing he wished at that moment was to be able to forget everything for a few seconds, be distracted and not have to think about the discussion he just had with his parents, he did not want to think about what he had to face the next day. _ Was it so wrong to want to empty his mind for a few minutes? _

The tears did not stop falling, he tried to find the strength to get up and return to his room but his legs did not respond. That was the image Yixing found when he suddenly opened the door. 

***

Yixing was mentally holding himself back from falling asleep for so many hours, pretending to take a short nap as Junmyeon returned but lost track of time. He saw the clock on the nightstand next to his bed noticing the time, it was half past eleven at night and he feared he had disappointed the prince.

Surely he had ignored again that he had to eat something before sleeping, he could have had a very tired day or even worse he could have met his parents. Without thinking for another second, he got up, ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to tidy it up a bit - although he knew it was a lost case - and hurried to look for Junmyeon at least to wish him luck at the meeting of the next day. However, he was surprised to open the door and find the same prince collapsed on the ground with his beautiful face covered in tears. 

"Junmyeon." The image in front of him was immensely tearing his heart, without looking away he leaned down to be at the height of the other and quickly took his face in his hands trying to clean his tears as a million questions crossed his mind. 

“Are you okay? What happened? Why-” He seemed to hear footsteps down the hall and didn't want to have to give any explanations when Junmyeon needed him. But before he could help him to his feet, Junmyeon took him by the hand and shoved him into his room. He wanted to ask what was happening when he closed the door but the words were in the air when a pair of lips sealed his. 

The word astonished could not describe what Yixing felt in those seconds. He wanted to be able to get carried away for the moment, by the feel of Junmyeon's soft lips on his, but he knew something was wrong, he knew he had to stop it before something else happened, before he lost control of himself. 

It was not that Yixing was rejecting him but rather the opposite, he more than anyone longed for the moment to come but not in this way. Not as Junmyeon trembled under his touch, not as the other's eyes shed tears incessantly. He felt the impatient hands that seemed to start slipping under his shirt and it was enough to take him by the shoulders putting a little distance between them as he tried to calm his breathing.

Junmyeon's lost gaze seemed to come to his senses and realize what he had done, or rather what could have happened, and he felt ashamed. He dodged Yixing's gaze and tried to back down and run away from there as fast as he could so he could lock himself in his own room. It had been an impulse to turn to Yixing, one he was beginning to regret.

Before he went further, the other took him by the arm, Junmyeon tried to get out of his grip but didn't know if Yixing was too strong or he wasn't using all his strength to get away because deep down ... he didn't want to be alone. Before he could say anything he felt Yixing's arms around him, this time instead of resisting Junmyeon instantly melted at his touch. 

He wanted to be able to relax for a moment, not have to think about anything, allow himself to be weak for at least a few seconds. 

He could feel his heart begin to calm down when one of Yixing's hands caressed his hair trying to comfort him. He tried to hold back the tears but couldn't help the trembling in his body. 

"Let it out, everything is going to be okay.." Yixing whispered softly in his ear. 

Those words were enough for him to close his eyes and lean completely on the Chinese prince. He returned the hug, clinging tightly to him in what seemed like a desperate attempt to be as close as possible. 

Yixing felt lost, he didn't know what was happening but he was sure that seeing Junmyeon like that was the worst thing he had ever experienced. The image of those sad and empty eyes was something he didn't want to see again. He wanted to see him smile, that he was truly happy and was willing to do anything to accomplish his goal. 

Junmyeon felt like he couldn't take it anymore, he was beginning to feel how the barriers he had built around him seemed to be destroyed when he met Yixing, not in a negative way but on the contrary.

All his life he had been trying to create barriers around his heart to protect himself and to fulfill the image expected of him, but he had had enough. He was extremely tired of having to appear serious and disciplined, he had felt like a caged bird for a long time without being able to express himself freely. 

He lost track of time, he didn't know if a few minutes or even hours had passed but it had been long enough for Junmyeon to let it out completely. His breathing had calmed down and although he didn't want to admit it he was starting to feel sleepy. 

Yixing had passed it by saying comforting words while holding him, something that Junmyeon really appreciated. Now that he had cried out, he felt sorry for the situation they were in again.

He supposed that Yixing was very confused by what had just happened, he had appeared in front of his door on the verge of collapse and then Junmyeon had tried ... just thinking about it made him nervous. 

“Sorry.” He tried to hide his face more in Yixing's chest but the other didn't allow it. The Chinese prince distanced himself a little even without breaking the hug between them. 

“You don't need to apologize.”

"Of course I do. It wasn't my intention to bother you for thinking-" a pair of lips had interrupted him for a few seconds, surprising him again and beginning to be alarmed at the thought that he could be becoming addicted to the sensation of Yixing's lips on his own. 

“Please Junmyeon, don't apologize for it. If so then I should also apologize for responding to that kiss.” The young man's tone sounded very serious that Junmyeon could not refute. 

“I don't want you to think that I was rejecting you or that it is something that I didn't want to do because _ believe me, _that is not the case but ... I don’t want to take advantage of the situation and make it a first impulse that you later regret.”

Junmyeon gathered up his courage meeting Yixing's worried gaze. He really was lucky to have someone like him by his side, he felt calmer when he saw the smile he gave him, he was sweet and sincere. 

Yixing held his face again and this time he couldn't hide the discomfort he felt on his cheek. Noticing it, Yixing's smile turned into confusion. He could clearly see Junmyeon's face lit by the moonlight filtering through his window, after all it was almost midnight. He took Junmyeon's hand and guided him to his bed, while he turned on the lamp on the bedside table which allowed him to see more clearly. 

“Why don't you tell me what happened?” During the time Junmyeon related to Yixing about the discussion with his parents, the young Chinese man had held his hands and every time Junmyeon seemed to struggle with the words Yixing comforted him with a little caress, or gave him the time he needed. 

"It shouldn't affect me that much. Maybe not having slept enough these days left me feeling a little sensitive.” Junmyeon said crestfallen with the attempt of a false smile, which only bothered Yixing.

“Do not say that. You have the right to express yourself, to give your opinion when things do not seem to be right. You don't have to shut up, especially when you're right and all you want is to do things right and help people. Unfortunately things are not always going to go as we want but, you are capable of many things Kim Junmyeon, you are very strong ... but it is not wrong to stop being for a few minutes. I am very sorry for the discussion with your parents but don't let that discourage you from presenting your proposals tomorrow, you have worked very hard on them and I trust your work.” No one had ever said words like that to him, no one had ever had the power to comfort him like Yixing. 

"And ... may I ask you a favor, Junmyeon?" He waited for the young man to nod so he could continue.

“Don't pretend with me. Do not pretend happiness or smiles, much less pretend to be fine when you are not. Let me be strong for you, let me help you, listen to you, whatever you need. It's the only thing I ask.” Hearing those words from Yixing made him remember his first conversation in the restaurant, where he had said something similar.

The truth is that maintaining an appearance, feigning security and courtesy was something Junmyeon believed to have dominated his entire life, no one had ever been able to notice all the fissures behind Junmyeon's mask, no one until Yixing arrived. And since then it was not necessary for him to pretend anything, he had allowed himself to be honest and comfortable when he was with him.

“I promise.”

“Thank you. Having said that, do you want to take a bath?”

“Huh?”

“Or if you prefer to just change your clothes, I'm sorry Junmyeon but although I love to see you in your work clothes, you know I _ really _love it, I feel that this tie suffocates me too much.” He said as he untied the knot in his tie. 

"Also, you must rest." 

“Of course, yeah. You're right, I should ... I should rest.” Junmyeon looked at the time on the clock next to the table and remembered that it was very late, he had calmed down and felt much better but ... still he didn't want to be alone, cross the hallways of the palace and return to his cold room.

Perhaps that thought was evident on his face that Yixing made it easy to notice. 

"You can sleep here if you want." Seeing how Junmyeon was blushing again, he quickly added. "Only if you want, of course." 

He was thinking about what his mother would say if she found out that he would spend the night with Yixing without being officially married, but he realized he didn't care. Not tonight. 

“Can I ?”

"If you think about it you shouldn't ask, after all it's your Palace." 

That answer made him smile unconsciously. “I guess you're right.”

"Why don't you get comfortable while I go to the kitchen quickly?" He was about to stand up when Junmyeon caught his hands. It had probably been an impulse but he didn't want to let him go.

“To the kitchen?”

"I don't even have to ask to know you didn't have dinner tonight, right? But it's too late so I can't force you to eat, I thought a hot tea would help you sleep.”

“I don't think that it's necessary.” 

Junmyeon kept his eyes on his still intertwined hands, unaware that his lips were forming an adorable pout and his brow furrowed slightly. Yixing felt that his heart could explode at any second upon seeing him, the prince really ignored how cute he was. 

"Well, you win." Yixing brought his clasped hands to his lips for a short kiss before helping him to his feet. 

He helped him remove his jacket before moving to his closet. Junmyeon felt lost for a few seconds before realizing that Yixing was looking for clothes for him. Not only would he be spending the night at his side, but he would also borrow some clothes to sleep on. His head kept turning that thought as the young Chinese man pushed him toward the bathroom to change. 

Yixing had given him some baggy pants and a sweatshirt, the moment he put it on he felt like he could drown in the characteristic smell of gardenias and vanilla. The clothes were a bit big for his size but that made them more comfortable. 

He preferred to avoid his reflection in the mirror because he knew that he would find his eyes swollen and tired, messing up his hair a bit before entering the room again. 

Yixing had also changed into clothes similar to his, who was now under the sheets positioning the cushions of his bed in a more comfortable way, when he saw him next to the bathroom door, he leaned back and opened his arms waiting Junmyeon to take his invitation. 

The prince wasted no time and took the place next to Yixing, settling into his arms. 

"I feel like saying it, I think you used to look adorable before but you look even better wearing my clothes." He commented in a low voice, since due to the almost non-existent distance between them it was not necessary to speak loudly. Junmyeon gave him a small punch that the other one knew was playfully.

“It's not true.”

“Yes it is.”

“No it isn't.”

“Yes it is. I wish you could see yourself how my eyes see you Junmyeon, and you would understand why I can't take my eyes off you.”

Given this, he tried to feel annoyed but he felt the dream begin to take hold of him and he only managed to refute “You are very annoying” with a light tone.

"Admit that you like that about me." 

“That's not true .” It was true but I didn't want to admit it.

“Yes it is.”

“No it isn't.” He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, which quickly escalated to uncontrollable laughter when he felt a tickle in his side. He could not believe that Zhang Yixing had resorted to such a torture tactic.

“okay! okay! I admit it.”

"That is music to my ears, thank you very much." 

Junmyeon did not understand why, but Yixing's arms seemed more comfortable than any bed, sofa, or cushion he had ever used in his life. He could feel the dream taking over him more and more, but he knew that the last thing he felt was a delicate touch on his forehead. 

He thought it had been enough. Junmyeon was tired, he could tell how he seemed to be fighting to keep his eyes open and he was failing miserably. Holding him in his arms made him the happiest person in the world, even more so when he was able to hear him laugh for a few seconds. He wasn't lying when he said it was music to his ears, he was beginning to believe it was the best sound he had ever heard and would do anything to hear that laugh again. 

He had slept a few hours in the afternoon and believed that it would be impossible for him to fall asleep at night but having the prince in his arms, feeling the light aroma of sugar and vanilla and listening to Junmyeon breathing lulled him again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I started writing this thinking it would be a oneshot but I ended up failing miserably and then decided to divide in into 3 parts but... I failed again.
> 
> It turns out I love this au so freaking much and I don't want it to end so quickly. I wanted all the possible dates and everything cheesy for Sulay and apparently it is still not enough so... now this will have somewhere between 5-6 chapters.
> 
> Oh yeah!! And before I forget the "Fighting" scene between Junmyeon and his parents was a little inspired on the episode 6 from season 3 of The Crown, I remember crying watching that episode because it was what I wanted to deliver about Junmyeon's relationship with his parents. It's so good I recommend so so much, Netflix also uploaded the exact cut on YouTube if you want to check it out.


End file.
